Time Passes
by mjHOPE94
Summary: Ikuto has been gone for five years. For those five years he has wanted to see Amu every day. But now that he is back, he is having some second thoughts... what if everything has changed?


Time Passes  
by mjHope

Years passed and in his absence Ikuto, now 22, had gone to college, found his father, and started his career as a musician. It had taken five years. Five years of not seeing Amu or his sister, who he kept in loose contact with. She kept him informed on her life but cautiously danced around the subject of Amu, her best friend. When she did once mention her she was met with a hasty disconnection between the phone lines. Utau did not hear from Ikuto for months after. Utau mearly thought that the two had had a falling out after Amu chased after Ikuto through the airport. Yet in truth, Ikuto was scared. Scared that Amu wouldn't want to talk to him after no contact for five years. What had changed? What had not?

Hinamori Amu was a 17 year old junior at Seiyo High now. Spring had donned on her, with all its beauty. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, and provided perfect cover to hide from a certain freshmen named Yaya.

Amu's hair, now falling down to her waist, was still cherry blossom pink and blended with the trees. She was in the garden, watching the blue sky and feeling the warmth of the sun on her cheeks. She knew that Yaya would want to go 'Kairi hunting' if she found her. Kairi was a freshmen aswell, having skipped a grade due to his good marks. He was also dreadfully good at hide and seek with Yaya. The two were always together (at least when they were not playing hide and seek). They had practically the same class schedule, ate together at lunch, had some of the strangest inside jokes, and lived across the street from each other. The day Tadase boarded the plane to move to France he had pulled Kairi aside and told him to 'buck up and ask her out!' something Amu had overheard. Hopefully, Kairi would make his move soon. Amu sighed, '_Young love'_, her mood suddenly turned downcast. Her crush on Tadase had turned out to be just that, a crush. And Kukai had been going steady with Utau for about 2 years now. Rima and Nagihiko (yes she found out about the whole Nagihiko is Nadeshiko thing) were going out as well. And she was happy for them, truly. But she couldn't help but feel… lonely.  
And it wasn't like she could just forget him. He and his music were everywhere. He was a star. And she was just Amu, that silly little girl he used to tease. She heard he was back in town after those five years. Five years of her wondering, pining, and now, she didn't want to know. Amu sighed again as she was thrown into an abyss of memories.

Ikuto walked down the streets of Seiyo in the guise of a baseball cap, sunglasses, and baggy street clothes that didn't feel right. He had told his manager (dad) he was 'going for a bite' but in reality he was searching for Amu. Well, the old Amu. The tiny, 'too cool for you' girl in a punked out uniform and pink hair. But no such girl came into his site.  
He made his way over to Utau's beach side house, where she would hangout in her down time, and rest by the sea. He went directly to the beach; he wanted to finally talk about some things with his little sister, face to face.  
Ikuto found her resting against her boyfriend, Kukai (19, college student), talking.  
"Am I interrupting something?" he said, announcing his arrival with a smirk. Utau and Kukai turned to look at him, surprise written on both their faces.  
"Ikuto! We weren't expecting you!" Utau recovered first, getting up and hugging her brother quickly. "Oh I keep forgetting," she continued, "I haven't introduced my boyfriend to you," she gestured from Ikuto to Kukai, "Brother, Kukai, Kukai, Brother,"  
"Hey" Kukai said a slight awkwardness in his voice, knowing he used to fight against this man nearly every day in his childhood.  
"Hi," Ikuto replied, not addressing the awkward feeling. He turned to Utau, "Utau, if could to talk to you please?"  
"Yeah, sure," she looked a little worried, "let's go sit on the deck. Darling," she said, turning to Kukai, "do you mind?" she asked apologetically.  
"Naw," he said with a grin, "you two haven't talked in five years, go catch up," he walked into the house, leaving the brother and sister on the deck.  
"It's a lot to take in, isn't it? The change?" Utau said after a moment of staring at the sea. She had a knowing smile on her face, figuring she knew where their conversation was heading.  
"Yea," Ikuto replied, looking down, "so many things must have happened without me. So many things just seemed to have suddenly changed, because I wasn't here to them progress."  
"Things like Amu?" Ikuto froze, surprised that he, the ever-elusive cat, had been so easily caught. Utau smiled as her suspicions were confirmed.  
"Oh like I wouldn't see it," she said, "the way you always teased her, you won't talk about her, not directly at least, and she still blushes when the subject of you comes into the conversation, and" she paused with a slight wistful look, "the way you would look at her…" she trailed off.  
Ikuto looked away, the lightest red ting on his cheeks. "Um, well" he paused, "how is she?" he asked.  
"She misses you, even though she won't admit it," Utau watched her brother's face as he realized he had not yet lost the battle for Amu's affection. "She always keeps her window unlocked... it's a habit of hers," Utau whispered.  
Ikuto stood up, dusk was already falling. He kissed Utau on top of her head, "Thank you Utau, for everything," and like the black cat he was he disappeared in the elongating shadows, ready to face his fears.

**Okay, this is my first Shugo Chara! Fanfic… please tell me what you think and if this should become more than a one-shot!**

**Oh! And flames are immediately put out by my friend Charyce, (pats on head) who has a fire extinguisher and isn't afraid to use it!!!**

**~mjHOPE94**


End file.
